On the occasion of the 18th anniversary of the Armenian Army, the Armenian National Congress (ANC) congratulated all the Yerkrapah (volunteer warriors), officers of the Armenian army and the entire Armenian people. The ANC’s congratulatory message particularly reads:

“We are heartily congratulating our fiends, who are political prisoners and who made an invaluable contribution to the victory and formation of the Armenian army. The army, which is one of the central pillars of independent statehood, was born in the crucible of war. Young conscripts, volunteer detachments and numerous Armenian officers that returned to Armenia from all the parts of the Soviet Union formed the army. From the very first days the authorities of independent Armenia and Armenian people showed consideration for the army, which played a crucial role in accomplishing its formidable tasks.

”Unfortunately, the unconstitutional and antidemocratic processes that have been developing over the last ten years, tyranny and degrading domestic political life have had their impact on the army. The culmination was the dispatch of troops against peaceful demonstrators on March 1, 2008, with the Army being actually used as a means of coup d'état. It was not only an unconstitutional action against the people, but also a heavy blow to the army reputation.

“The ANC is doing its best to expose that infamous act and to have those guilty held responsible for the army’s reputation to be restored. In this case alone the army will get rid of the shortcomings imposed on it and be able to perform its high constitutional duty, defending our country from external threats and ensuring people’s security.”

T.P.